New Cork/Kerry centre 'has met dozens of migrants trafficked for sexual exploitation' 

As it formally launches its Cork and Kerry service, Ruhama says it has already dealt with 80 alleged victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking in the region

Ruhama's chief executive Barbara Condon said  that, because most victims of sexual exploitation are migrants, they do not have a network here in Ireland to support them. Picture: iStock

Ruhama has said it has dealt with 80 alleged victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking at its new service for the Cork and Kerry region.

The service got under way in April 2024 and is being formally launched today, Friday, by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Ruhama, which works with sex workers and human trafficking victims, says many of the women are based in direct provision centres in Cork and Kerry.

CEO Barbara Condon said it is important to make services such as Ruhama’s available to victims in rural Ireland: 

Women are subjected to horrible abuse and violence, and the trauma is profound and complex, and the shame that is associated with sexual exploitation is really, really difficult.

“One of things we hear more about outside of Dublin is the isolation, particularly when people are based out in the country. 

"What you would hear more about as a result of that isolation is a greater level of depression.”

Ruhama chief executive Barbara Condon: 'One of things we hear more about outside of Dublin is the isolation, particularly when people are based out in the country.' Picture: Julien Behal

She pointed out that, because most victims of sexual exploitation are migrants, they do not have a network here to support them.

Ruhama held a recruitment campaign earlier this year for its branches in Cork and Limerick, as well as in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Online services are being provided for some victims because of their location.

A report, Room for Recovery: Housing Hope After Exploitation, will also be launched on Friday. 

It highlights “serious shortcomings in accommodation for victims of sex trafficking”, and calls for the provision of “appropriate, specialist, gender-specific housing solutions” according to Ruhama.

'Recovery impossible without safe accommodation'

The organisation says the report was commissioned “in recognition of the fact that accommodation for victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in Ireland is deficient”.

The report says “accommodation is an essential part of the set of assistance measures for victims of trafficking”.

“Recovery is impossible without access to safe accommodation that will discontinue the victim’s exposure to traffickers and risk of exploitation. 

"Gender-specificity is a crucial feature for accommodation of victims of trafficking who are recovering from sexual and other gender-based violence.”

It calls for the temporary appointment of a special rapporteur on victim accommodation policies, because of “previous fundamental failure to meet the needs of victims of trafficking within the wider international protection agenda". Ms Condon said: 

You are talking about the most vulnerable of the most vulnerable. If we can’t protect the most vulnerable, who can we protect? 

The report recommends training for service providers working with women who are at high risk of trafficking for sexual exploitation to help them develop policies and guidelines for early detection and referral of victims to appropriate services.

Gender-specific accommodation

It also seeks further gender-specific accommodation for victims, building on the evaluation of Rosa’s Place in Dublin, which currently has eight spaces. 

However, there are no other spaces for victims across the country.

Figures released by Ruhama last September showed that the organisation worked with with 646 individuals in 2023, an increase of 30% from the previous year.

Ms Condon said the majority of victims are migrants but they come from all backgrounds and are all ages — some women are in their 70s.